The present invention relates generally to monitoring devices and more particularly to a temperature monitoring arrangement which utilizes a fiber optic sensor. As will be seen this arrangement is especially suitable for sensing temperature changes in electrical transmission and distribution equipment, for example a generator, where strong electric and/or magnetic fields are present, or where the addition of metal lead wieres or sensors is undesirable.
Heretofore, it has not been common practice to monitor the temperature at particular points within an operating transformer or generator by direct measurement, that is, by sensing the temperature directly at or in close proximity to the coils and/or core of the transformer or inner workings of the generator. This has been primarily due to the fact that most montoring devices utilized in the past included metal sensors and/or wires and that such sensors and/or wires located within the particular apparatus could aversely affect the electric and magnetic field distribution therein, or because strong electromagnetic interference make transmission of information impossible.
As will be seen hereinafter, the present invention is directed to a monitoring arrangement, specifically a temperature monitoring arrangement in a preferred embodiment, and more specifically a temperature monitoring arrangement which utilizes a fiber optic sensor. As will also be seen, this sensor, in its preferred embodiment, consists essentially of at least one optical fiber and, hence, is in its entirety electrically nonconductive.